TAP overbooking compensation / denied boarding compensation.
How much is flight overbooking compensation? Rules? How to get it?
What does the term overbooking mean? This simply means that an airline has accepted more bookings than there are seats on the plane. But what happens if all passengers who bought tickets show up for the flight? Someone has to be denied boarding due to overbooking. If that happens to you, the airline is obliged to pay EU denied boarding compensation.
There are two ways you can claim this compensation.
1. TAP Overbooking Compensation: EU Denied Boarding Regulations
Have you been denied boarding by TAP?
What are your rights in the event of denied boarding? In which situations you are entitled to receive compensation from TAP? In Europe, passengers are protected if they are denied boarding due to overbooking.
If you are flying to or from Europe with TAP, and you are denied boarding due to overbooking — you are entitled to flight overbooking compensation (EU denied boarding compensation) of up to €600.
This only applies to overbookings.
These EU regulations apply only to situations when you are denied boarding due to overbooking. If you are denied boarding due to some other reason (like not having a visa or travelling with an expired passport), you won’t be entitled to denied boarding compensation. Also you can’t get compensation if you voluntarily give up your seat.
Read more: Regulation (EC) No 261/2004; Regulation UK261
By Europe and EU here on this page (and on this website in general) we mean all EU Member States, the United Kingdom (UK), Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, Saint Martin (French Antilles), the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
1.1 Voluntary Denied Boarding
What is voluntary denied boarding?
Yes, there are different types of denied boarding.
The main difference is — are you going to be entitled to compensation or not.
If you are denied boarding voluntarily, you can’t get denied boarding compensation from the airline. Because you have agreed to travel later and have given up your seat voluntarily. How does this work?
When overbooking happens, and too many people show up for their flight, the airline has to find volunteers who will give up their seats and travel later. The airline will offer a new flight and instant compensation in the form of vouchers or cash. If you are offered compensation like this and you accept it, it’s called voluntary boarding denial.
In this case, you aren’t entitled to denied boarding compensation from TAP.
You don’t have to agree to an offer like this.
1.2 Involuntary Denied Boarding
There are situations when passengers don’t have a choice.
There are not enough volunteers, and there are not enough free seats. In a situation like this, people with confirmed tickets may be refused boarding involuntarily. If that’s what has happened to you, know that it’s called involuntarily denied boarding, and you will be eligible for compensation.
What happens in case of involuntary denied boarding?
- The airline must give you a choice between a new flight and full refund;
- In addition to that, you are entitled to receive care from the airline*;
- You are entitled to compensation up to €600 per passenger.
* TAP must offer you free meals and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time, two free phone calls, e-mails or faxes. If you have to wait overnight, TAP must provide you with free accommodation and free transfer from and to the airport.
1.3 Right to Care
All passengers travelling with TAP have a right to care.
If you are stranded at the airport due to denied boarding, flight delay or flight cancellation, you are entitled to receive care from the airline. As long as the wait is 3 or more hours.
What does it mean for you as a passenger?
TAP must offer you free meals and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time, two free phone calls, e-mails or faxes. If your flight departs on the next day, TAP has to provide you with a free hotel stay and free transfer. Agreeing to these free services doesn’t affect your chances of getting compensation.
Contact the airline if you haven’t been offered anything.
2. How to Claim TAP Flight Compensation? How to Claim Flight Overbooking Compensation?
You can claim compensation yourself.
The other option is to work with professionals.
Claiming compensation from TAP yourself. Contact TAP customer support center using their website or social media channels, and request compensation for denied boarding. Refer to the above mentioned EU Flight Compensation regulation (EC) No 261/2004. Ask for the right compensation amount. Keep in mind that it could take a few months until you receive the denied boarding compensation TAP owes you.
You can also take the easiest path — legal representation.
Register your TAP compensation claim with the help of a flight compensation company. In this case, you don’t have to do much. Fill in and sign one form. By submitting the form, you will register your TAP denied boarding claim. You don’t have to do anything else. The rest be done by a flight compensation company. Our partners offer such services.
When choosing this option, here is all you will have to do:
And that’s it — the rest is handled by professionals.
* Your boarding pass and passport or ID copy.
Read more: Your TAP Compensation Claim Is Rejected. What Now?
2.1 How Long Does It Take?
Each case is different.
While some cases can be solved in 2-3 months, some can take several months. It depends on how cooperative is the airline. If the airline refuses to pay compensation, your claim has to be taken to national enforcement body or even court. It will add at least a couple of months to the process.
3. How Much Can You Claim?
In the EU compensation amounts are fixed.
In most situations they range from €250 to €600.
Here is how you can calculate TAP compensation yourself:
When your destination is within the EU/UK:
€250
If the distance of your flight is
up to 1,500 km
€400
If the distance of your flight is between 1,500 – 3,500 km
When your destination is outside the EU/UK:
€250
If the distance of your flight is
up to 1,500 km
€400
If the distance of your flight is between 1,500 – 3,500 km
€600
If the distance of your flight is more than 3,500 km
If you are claiming compensation on your own, this is the amount you should be demanding. TAP might offer you a smaller compensation. But you don’t have to agree to it. Ask for the right amount.
The compensation amounts are regulated by the European Union.
There’s one exception. When the flight distance is 3500+ kilometres and you reach your destination 3 to 4 hours later than planned, you are entitled only to 50% of the compensation amount (that means €300, not €600).
3.1 TAP Voucher Code, Discounts or Cash?
According to the law, compensations have to be paid in cash or by bank transfer.
However, airlines do not always obey the law. Often airlines offer voucher refund instead of money. But this is not how it should be.
TAP just like most airlines, may initially offer you a voucher refund instead of money. You can request a bank transfer. Because all airline compensations and refunds in the EU have to be paid in cash or by bank transfer.
TAP Denied Boarding Compensation: FAQ
My flight was discounted/cheap. Can I get compensation if it was cheap?
The price of your ticket doesn’t matter.
If you have arrived 3+ hours later than scheduled, and the delay/cancellation was due to the airline’s fault, you might be entitled to compensation from TAP Air. The price of the ticket doesn’t lower your chances of getting compensation. And it certainly doesn’t affect the compensation amount you are getting.
I am entitled to compensation, but I don’t have travel insurance. Can I still get compensation?
Yes, absolutely.
According to the Regulation EC 261/2004, you can claim compensation even if you don’t have insurance.
Can my child/baby get compensation from TAP?
Yes, they can.
The age of the passenger doesn’t matter. Kids and babies can get compensation, too. Even infants who have a special infant ticket. If you are entitled to compensation, your child/baby will be too. They will get the same amount as you.
Can I claim compensation for another person?
Yes, you can.
Even if you weren’t on that flight yourself.
Just don’t forget that you will need to ask them sign any documents the airline or the flight compensation company will ask to sign. Also you will need to provide their boarding pass and passport copy.
How far back can I claim compensation?
It depends on the local laws of the country.
If you are flying from the EU, in most cases you can claim compensation also for old flights — flights that were 2-3 years ago. However, we would recommend you to claim compensation as soon as you return from your trip. The sooner you do it, the better.
What to do if TAP is refusing to pay compensation?
TAP is refusing to pay compensation even though you are entitled to it.
Is there a chance that you still might get your compensation? Yes. There are two ways how you can proceed. If you don’t want any more hassle, the best way is to hand over your case to a flight compensation company. They will continue the work on your behalf.
Alternatively, you may contact the respective national enforcement body and ask them to help solve your case. There are national enforcement bodies in all the EU Member states.
Problems With Visa or Passport
I was denied boarding due to issues with my visa / passport. Am I entitled to denied boarding compensation?
No.
You can only get compensation if you have been involuntarily denied boarding because of overbooking.
If you are traveling with an expired passport, or with no valid visa, you can’t get compensation if you get denied boarding. Also you won’t be entitled to compensation if you voluntarily give up your seat.
EU – Non-EU Flights, Tourists
I’m flying to the EU from a country outside the EU. Can I get compensation?
If you’re flying with TAP then yes, you can.
You are protected as a passenger on all TAP Air flights. Even on those which depart from a country outside the EU.
All thanks to EU Flight Compensation Regulation 261/2004.
I’m flying from the EU to a country outside the EU. Can I get compensation?
Are you flying with TAP?
Then yes, you can. You are protected as a passenger on all TAP Air flights. Even on those which depart from the EU and arrive in a country outside the EU.
I am not a EU citizen. Can I get compensation?
Yes.
Your nationality doesn’t matter. The EU Regulation 261/2004 protects all passengers — tourists from overseas and Europeans alike.
Other Situations
TAP provided me with a free replacement flight to my destination and a free hotel stay. Can I still get compensated for my disrupted flight?
Yes.
Accepting the replacement flight and free hotel stay won’t lower your chances of getting compensation. If you are entitled to compensation from the airline, you will get it.
TAP took me to my destination. Can I still get compensation?
Yes, you might.
If you arrived at least 3 hours later than scheduled, and the delay/cancellation was due to the fault of the airline, you might get compensation. Even if you were given a new ticket to your destination.
What is your experience? Have you ever received TAP overbooking compensation? Do you still have questions about TAP compensation claim procedures and policies? Ask in the comments.